As UAE residents face ongoing internet disruptions for a third day due to cut cables under the Red Sea, experts indicate the repairs might take weeks or even months.
“Globally, only three or four companies can repair such cables,” explained Yasser Saied, Consulting Systems Engineer at cybersecurity firm Palo Alto. “Repairing these cables requires advanced technology as they lie deep under the ocean. Specialized divers must locate the exact cut and fix it, making it a complex operation that could take months.”
However, Saied noted a positive aspect: replacing the damaged cable with a new one could enhance durability. “Fibre cables can degrade over time,” he mentioned. “Such problems arise every five to ten years, but new cables are made of better materials, offering longer resistance to wear and tear.”
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Ongoing Internet Issues
Meanwhile, some UAE residents continue to experience internet and data issues. “While traveling to the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, my Google Maps wouldn’t load,” said Urmi K. “A trip that should have taken 1.5 hours took over 2.5 hours. It was quite frustrating.”
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, reported being unable to access mobile data at a work event. “Fortunately, the venue had wifi,” she said. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to work.”
On September 7, telecom operator Du warned customers on social media about potential “slowness” in data services due to the cable cut. “Our technical teams are collaborating with international providers to resolve the issue. We will keep you updated,” they posted.
E& UAE shared a similar notice on its social media channels.
Ensuring Internet Resilience
The cause of the cable cut is still under investigation, but experts suggest several potential reasons for the disruption.
“We’ve previously seen ships anchor and accidentally damage submarine cables,” said Swapnendu M., Solutions Architect at Cisco. “It could also be a natural sea disaster or, in rare cases, a malicious incident like those seen between Russia and Ukraine near Norway.”
This event underscores the significance of cables as “critical infrastructure” for nations. “Multiple countries depend on the same set of cables,” he said. “This route is crucial as it connects to Europe, but alternative paths like the Singapore-India route are available. To ensure internet resilience, countries should invest in these alternatives.”
However, he added that emerging technologies, such as satellite connectivity, are not yet sufficient to replace undersea cables. “Satellites can’t yet match the capabilities of submarine cables,” he explained. “They offer some redundancy in emergencies, but for low latency and high bandwidth demands, we rely on submarine cables.”
